Draco's Solacer
by Goddess Hestia
Summary: Year after year, Draco and Hermione are drawn to each other, neither one able to cope with the aftermath of the battle at Hogwarts alone. For some reason, unbeknown to Hermione, he desires to make Hermione feel happy and safe as she has for him after all this time. This will prove to be a most difficult task that will either ruin them for each other or only draw them closer.
1. Chapter 1

**My take on the relationship Draco and Hermione could possibly have after the Wizarding World recovers from the affects of Voldemort. **

Her reaction was rather acceptable for someone who lived alone to come home and find someone in her kitchen. It had already been a long, awful day. Hermione couldn't help but feel so low on this anniversary of the Battle at Hogwarts. It's a victorious holiday throughout the wizarding world, especially here in England. It was not something however that she felt worth celebrating even as one of the battle heroines.

Of course everyone remembered the fallen but not like she does. Hermione could spend an entire day imagining what the deceased veterans would be doing with their lives. Upon this moment entering her apartment after work that she considered visiting little Teddy Lupin with her best friend Harry Potter when she stumbled upon her visitor.

"Granger," Malfoy regarded her calmly having a seat at her dining table as if she hadn't just yelped upon recognition. "Malfoy, I mean Draco, you-" she couldn't pull together a complete thought to tell him she realized. "How about some tea?" The former death eater suggested casually. Hermione simply nodded. She put on a kettle of water with mint leaves to boil. While doing so, she often looked over her shoulder just to make sure Draco didn't disappear as suddenly as he appeared.

"Not that you're not entirely welcome, but how did you get in here?" She finally inquired to which she received a simple response from Draco, "Apparated," he told her. Hermione scoffed as she took out cups for the tea. "Do wizards know a thing about privacy?" Hermione threw over her shoulder.

"They do. Why does that matter? It's not like there's anything private between us." Draco said arrogantly. "Actually there is." Hermione answered rather calmly as she worked, taking the kettle off the heat and pouring tea into their cups.

"Please Hermione, you don't have to be defensive. This happens every year," Draco said. "And then some other times too." Hermione muttered. It's true. Both now twenty one and they couldn't break the habit.

"What?" Draco couldn't hear her.

"Did you have your dream again? Or did you see your mum? What was the trigger this time for you to come moping to me?" Hermione asked insensitively.

"What about you? You're not looking too hot Granger, I know something's bothered you too." Draco snapped. Hermione didn't answer for sometime. She busied herself taking the kettle off of heat. He watched as she poured tea for them. She pulled out a tin and sugar. She brought the contents to the table before taking her place with Draco.

"I'm fine Malfoy." she told him.

"Honestly Hermione after all we've been through, after all we've done, you don't think we can be open with one another." he fretted. Hermione doesn't answer right away again. Instead she opens the tin for a tea bag. She places it in her tea and adds sugar, waiting patiently for Draco to do the same.

"You mean the times I've comforted you? Or the times you've comforted me through sex? I'm not in the mood for any of that tonight." she says harshly.

"So talk to me. You'll feel better, I always do. And I want to listen to you. Unless you'd really rather not talk, I wouldn't mind the other stuff we do," he implies taking a drink of his tea, missing Hermione's face flush red. She stands up grabbing Draco's attention. "If that's all you came here for, I'm more than happy to disappoint and you may go now."

Draco shakes his head no, almost unfazed by her anger. "It was a joke, I was just trying to diffuse the tension."

"I don't care, maybe you should just go." Hermione says again.

"No please. I'm sorry. It was a stupid joke, I didn't know it'd upset you." Draco tells her. He really is sorry but he was offering. They've done things like that ever since their seventh returning year at Hogwarts. He offered in case she wanted to skip to that stuff because how could he say no to that from Granger. He didn't think she'd get this angry, in fact he expected her to accept.

"I'm sorry, I really do need you Hermione. I can't go about this day without you." Draco apologizes again. Hermione hesitates but finally sits back down. She doesn't speak, only drinks from her tea. "It's my dad. He keeps running away again. He's worse than my mum and I. He just gets so overcome with guilt he can't hardly stay in the same room as us." Draco admits. Hermione simply nods in encouragement, not really feeling like talking. She lets Draco vent.

After a while Draco brings it back around to the battle. "He just can't forgive himself after the battle. I've been the same way and the only person I want to see is you. But then I think about before the battle at the manor, I could've stopped Aunt Bella from hurting you. I was a coward." Hermione places a hand over Draco's. The memory is too painful for her but it's even more so to him. Draco considered himself of the lowest for having the audacity to seek comfort from Hermione of all people.

"I'm sorry Hermione. I didn't love you then like I love you now. I wasn't brave enough to protect even my mum, and I cared about you. I just couldn't get the courage to save you." Draco cried.

"Oh Draco, we were so young. I didn't expect it of you to save me. She could've hurt you too. I'm just fine, I'm not hurt anymore." she consoled.

"But just look at how you've turned out." Draco outcries. Hermione laughs though Draco doesn't think she actually finds it funny.

"Quite the charmer aren't you? I've told you I'm perfectly okay."

"Are you mad? You're a mess."

"And you expect me to get into bed with you with those words?" Hermione giggles.

"I told you, I didn't just come here for sex. I wanted to talk." Draco rolls his eyes.

"And what if I've changed my mind Draco?" Hermione asked. Draco's jaw tightened. He studied her face to see if she was serious or not.

"As if I could pass up the opportunity." he decided was safe to admit.

"What opportunity?" Hermione asked.

"I can never make things right for what happened to you in the manor."

"But making love to me year after year might?"

Draco wanted nothing more than to do just that for the rest of his life. He never imagined he would.

"If you tell me that's not what you want, I'll reckon I'll have to respect that though I bloody well don't want to. But one thing for sure is I can't stop coming you. And consequently I don't think you can refrain from sleeping with me when I come."

"You're right. Only because I just don't feel like talking like you do." Hermione says casually ignoring his arrogance.

Draco studies her face. Hermione pushes her teacup away and watches Draco's eyes roam over her. She sees the moment the expression on his face transforms.

He stands up abruptly planting a kiss on Hermione's lips roughly. Draco stares at her waiting for a response. Hermione begins by placing a hand on the side of his face much softer than Draco was. They begin to kiss in a way Hermione is sure will bruise her lips and every other part Draco kisses until he seizes her, carrying her to the bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

Trailing his fingers up and down her spine again and again, Draco wondered when Hermione would wake up. Draco couldn't sleep very well last night for the same reason he came to Hermione for the second time this month after the Hogwarts battle anniversary. He really hadn't been expecting to spend the night with her, honest. It somehow always came down to it anyways.

Hermione was just a perfect comfort and then distraction. Draco often wondered if he's in love with her. Hermione would never notice, not in a million years if he did.

For the brightest witch of her age, she sure is clueless. Draco wondered if he should consider asking her out on a date. Maybe under normal circumstances, they could have a chance at a healthy relationship. A platonic one would be hard to come to now but he'd do it if she decided that's what she wanted.

"What are you wondering about Draco? You've been silent for minutes." Hermione comments causing Draco to jump. He hadn't known she was awake.

"When did you get up?" Draco asks.

"Just now. What's on your mind?" she inquires again.

"How would you like to go on a date with me?" Draco cut right to it. Hermione laughs lightly at first. She pulls the blanket around herself as she turns over onto her side like Draco.

"Well?" Draco urges draping an arm over her hip when she's settled.

"I have some errands I need to do today. Would you like to accompany me?" Hermione offers.

"Yes I would but I mean a real date. I could take you out to dinner or we could do whatever you'd like."

"You don't need to take me out on a date." Hermione whispers.

"I don't care if I need to or not. I want to."

"What will people say? They'll ask why we're going out on a date all of a sudden."

"Who cares? And we spend some time together outside of this apartment every once a while. It won't be so surprising if we begin to date."

"I haven't agreed to a first date yet, who says we'll start to date?" Hermione mocks.

"Because if you just agree to the first one, I know you'll have to come back for more." Draco states in all seriousness. He couldn't keep Hermione from laughing for a while after that.

"Oh goodness, just get dressed woman. We'll run your errands this morning and then have our date this evening."

Hermione agrees half heartedly and tells him to meet her in Diagon Alley. He apparates to Malfoy Manor. Upon arrival Draco conjures a sheet of parchment and a quil. Quickly he puts in a written request for a dozen peonies to be sent to Hermione's flat at precisely six pm this evening. He recalls from the year he returned to Hogwarts that Hermione was quite fond of peonies over the roses she so commonly received from the wizarding community for her part in the war.

As he finishes he calls out "Abner," and the obedient house elf appears almost immediately. "Abner, have the house owl send this to our usual florist as soon as possible. "

"Yes Mr. Malfoy," Abner obliges politely taking the parchment from Draco.

"And Abner, I would like for you to make sure my black oxford shirt and navy blue dress pants are clean and pressed. have them laid out on my bed by six pm." Draco adjures.

"Of course sir," Abner agress. Draco say his thanks to which the house elf bows to before disappearing with a crack.

With that settled, Draco quickly bathes and changes into casual attire to join Hermione. As soon as he's ready, he apparates to the heart of Diagon Alley. The Alley isn't particularly busy with people but Draco can't seem to spot Hermione.

She must not be here yet. Women, Draco should've realized she'd take long to get ready. He should've had breakfast first at least. Maybe it's not too late to apparate back to Manor and have Abner make him a quick breakfast. He seriously considers this until his eye catches sight of the new quidditch supplies store.

Alright, he'll take a look around and if Hermione still isn't here, he will do just that. 707

Soon as Draco, enters the store, he becomes engaged with all the new quidditch supplies this store offers. He heads to the selection of brooms. He admires the new edition of brooms called vivus lux.

Draco made a mental note to join a part time quidditch league. He was in one his first couple years out of Hogwarts. He didn't have a clue now why he'd gone so long without renewing.

While Draco was inside transfixed on the acclaimed fastest broom to date, Hermione apparated into Diagon Alley. Worried that Draco had been waiting long, her eyes skirted the Alley over a couple times. Why he's not even here! She would've reckoned he would've appeared sooner. Especially after this morning. Hermione still couldn't fathom what made him want to ask her out on a date all of a sudden. He'd never done so before. And now he's not even here.

Hermione pondered what to do. She could always apparate to the Manor and wait there for him. But upon recalling the catastrophe that occurred last time, she hesitated. It was probably her fault for apparating directly into Draco's room. Though she would not make that mistake a second time, she decided against it.

Alright, she'll take a look inside this quidditch store for a moment. Perhaps she could find something for Harry or Ron, maybe even a toy broom for Teddy, while she waits for Draco.

Entering the store, she searches her pockets for the list of things she needs to purchase today. "I'm sure I appointed some quidditch supplies." she muttered to herself. "Aha!" she says upon finding it, turning a corner into- "ouch!" she shouted as someone stepped on her toe causing her to lose her balance. She reaches out grabbing their outreached arms. They fumble and fall forward knocking her down easily.

"Oof, I'm so sorry!" she pants scrambling up.

"Granger!" Draco acknowledges her shoving himself upright.

"Malfoy?" she exclaims exasperated.

**How am I doing? I'll post another chapter sooner than this one came. **


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